Remember, It’s OK: Loss for Teens  

This book, Loss for Teens was written in consultation with teens who had lost a friend, sibling, parent or other important person in their lives.  From our research, we found that teens have little to no support for their grief and are often not taken seriously due to their age. This book gives them a voice and offers them support and help so they don’t have to feel alone.  It also allows parents, educators and support workers an understanding into the mindset of a teen suffering from grief and gives this support person a way to help.

The book weaves "Moments" (written in first person, like a personal diary entry of the teen's thoughts and feelings) into a spectrum of six colours,  as a road map forward.  Each "Moment” has a companion response of support which could be a friend, family member, colleague or therapist.  There are also blank pages for students to express themselves and so understand their feelings.

Grief can no longer be left on a back burner, to solve itself.  It doesn't happen like that.  So many young people are crippled by grief and have little to no support and help.  It affects their school/work-life, their personal life, relationships, their view of the world and their future.  We offer hope and a way forward.   

This book could be valuable in a high school Health or Civics course, as well as something available in the library and guidance centre. 

ISBN:  978-1-990336-36-2

“I have just read the Loss for Teen book and I just want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for creating such a safe place to share the emotions of grief.

As I read through the stories and the responses, I felt as though I was truly connecting to the book and the people who wrote the stories. It’s an extremely powerful book that conveys so many amazing things to teens dealing with loss. As I read over the stories I was transported back to the times where I had most of my grief. I felt my emotions rushing back to me and instead of ignoring them, I truly found myself applying what was recommended in the book. It truly felt like I had a friend and an ally within the pages. That truly meant the world to me.

As I was taken back to a time when I felt very alone, I am grateful that teens dealing with loss, who will now have access to this book, may not feel as alone as I did. As I came across a familiar story, I was so thankful to have the response as to how to deal with the situation. I know that grade 9 Me,  would have been so incredibly grateful to hear that kind of advice as she was so lost. Even as a university student, I am beyond grateful to read that advice.  I felt like I was back in that same moment and reading the response help put me at ease.”

— a University student

Inside: Remember, It’s OK: Loss for Teens  

Foreward

My Dear Reader and Fellow Warrior,

As I sit here, typing out this forward, I can’t help but feel how this is a such a fitting cosmic array of events in which I get to commemorate my own journey as I see you off onto yours.

What a beautiful opportunity to honour my own loss and struggle.  

This book, Remember It’s Ok, Loss for Teens, reflects the journey of my life and I believe it will also reflect your own journey and that you may find yourself represented within these pages. Which leads me to one of my own biggest realizations; we are all connected by loss. And we still struggle to be understood and find a voice for our pain. Marina and Marian know that. And they did something about it. You will find your voice in these pages. Huge gratitude to them for this work.

Growing up without my father was a daily struggle, and in many ways, it still is. I think of him often, and missing him never takes a time out. When I was a teenager, I really struggled with the pain that I was carrying around. This translated into skipping school and experimenting with drugs and alcohol as a means for escape from the pain. It was hard for me to connect with people because they just couldn’t understand such an event that changed the entire direction of my life. My loss expressed itself over and over; walking through my neighbourhood and seeing dads pick their daughters up from school, dads playing with their kids at the park, seeing my friends’ dads helping them move into their new apartment, or help them paint and renovate their new business space, etc... Almost every day, I found myself wondering “who might I be if I had that kind of help and support in my life?”

My friends, this is no easy journey, I won’t lie to you. Losing someone you love, whether that is a parent, a relative, a grandparent, a sibling or a dear friend, is truly a loss that is forever. The pain doesn’t magically disappear. You will often feel completely alone and as though no one understands what you have to deal with, and will continue to deal with. But what you have now that I did not, is this wonderful book, Remember, It’s Ok.  The authors understand how grief circles around us. We move in and around the colours of healing as they show in their book.  This book will be a comfort to you for a long time.

This book can be your support, your best friend, your voice of reason and understanding when the world around you seems terribly out of touch, oblivious, chaotic, and simply unrelatable. This book will make you feel understood and that you are a part of a community that is so much bigger than you or I as individuals. I survived and went on to create a path into education where I now help and teach young people.  It was no easy task.  And now I watch as other young people struggle and suffer with loss.  I am so glad I can hand them this book.  I believe it will accelerate their healing and allow them to know they are not alone. Help them understand themselves, teach them to think with courage and empowerment, learn to be strong and brave, allow them to feel their pain in safety.  It will also help parents know how to help their child, and how educators can truly be there for their students. We all need to learn how to embrace grief, for ourselves, and for each other. Grief knows no timeline, and we need to learn to support each other for as long as it takes. Remember, It’s OK teaches us how to do that.

We are warriors. We make a choice, every single day, to get up and fight through the tears, the loss, the isolation, and the pain. We choose to honour the gift that loved ones we have lost gave us; we choose to live. We are infinitely stronger when we come together, share our struggles, and help one another carry them. That is what you have in your hands in this book; a community, voices sharing their pain, and guidance to bring you home.

There is incredible power in connecting and sharing our stories so that we may feel understood by others who carry the same weight. This book is now your community of support. Please understand that my support for you knows no bounds, whether we ever meet or not.

I hear you, I see you, I know your pain, and I will always be rooting for you, as are Marina and Marian.

I wish you nothing but love and light on your journey, and never, ever, ever forget that you are not alone.

With great love,

 Brittany E. Wiessler

Surviving Teen 

B.A.(H) Drama in Education/ Psychology

B.Ed. Drama/Social Sciences